It's OK to vote no on Newmarket school plan

Sunday

Mar 9, 2014 at 2:00 AM

It's OK to vote no on Newmarket's Article 1 warrant to build a new school. It's in the best interests of our students and all the townspeople to wait until we have all the information necessary to solve our educational facility concerns. Let's take at least six actions before making a decision that will affect us now and for generations to come.

Al Zink and Dan Wright

It's OK to vote no on Newmarket's Article 1 warrant to build a new school. It's in the best interests of our students and all the townspeople to wait until we have all the information necessary to solve our educational facility concerns. Let's take at least six actions before making a decision that will affect us now and for generations to come.

No. 1: Fix the critical fire and safety issues in our current facility now. This will remove the 2015 deadline to comply, and the building can remain open. It's unconscionable for our community to send students into a building the state fire marshal has deemed to be unsafe. School superintendents and school boards have allowed this condition to exist for far too long. Can you imagine if tomorrow we had an emergency and students were not safe? Can you imagine the remorse that we as a community would bear? Fix fire and life safety issues now.

No. 2: Even some of the School Board members have concluded a new school is unaffordable without state aid. Let's not give up. Let's get administrators, teachers, School Board members and residents to demand state aid through the governor's office. State aid to schools like Newmarket is not a priority of the current administration, but administrations change. The state has mandated facility standards to communities with the constitutional promise and obligation of financial aid.

Other educational institutions within the state are constantly meeting with the governor and elected representatives to get their share of the pie. It is our understanding that neither the School Board nor the superintendent has ever met with the governor to discuss Newmarket's plight.

No. 3: Hire a new architectural firm. Team Design (Harriman) has been representing Newmarket for close to a decade and has been unsuccessful in presenting a solution that the community has supported. Superintendent Jim Hayes stated that Team Design would not consider "putting their name" on a renovation of the current building. It's no wonder citizens question Hayes' conclusion that the only alternative is a new school. Team Design was terminated by the Portsmouth school system because Team Design's singular focus on new construction was not acceptable.

No. 4: Search out and hire a superintendent who has demonstrated success with providing innovative, effective and affordable solutions to communities that demand educational excellence. Find an educator who is willing to accept the notion that an excellent educational experience is attainable despite the weary walls that may surround it. Our high school principal indicated in a recent news article that he couldn't provide a 21st century quality education in the current facility. However, at the deliberative session, he cited Newmarket's performance and test scores as equaling or exceeding the results from surrounding communities. Seems he finally realized you can do good things in an old building!

No. 5: Ensure all regional opportunities are enthusiastically pursued. Let's market Newmarket as a willing participant with other communities. Unfortunately, we did a poor job of it with Oyster River, even though 84 percent of the voters requested we pursue it at last year's election. While the superintendent and School Board have been unsuccessful in the past, that doesn't mean we shouldn't pull out the stops to explore potential opportunities.

No. 6: Require the town and school to present a five-year forecast to residents — including operating and capital expenses, as well as expected revenues. Let's look at the long-term big picture just as we must do with our personal budgets. For the school, what will the tax impact be in five years if we build a new high school (at $45.1 million) and renovate the grade school (the School Board estimates another $17 million)? Add to that increases in medical expenses (for both town costs and employee costs), along with the shift from the state to municipalities for funding out-of-control retirement plan obligations. The town's Efficiency Committee completed a study two years ago forecasting a tax rate of close to $40 per thousand by 2018. Jim Hayes has been asked repeatedly to agree, disagree or input his own forecast assumptions but has failed to do so. We believe we know why. The forecast is terrifying, and the school's master plan (view on its Web site) is a failed program before it is even launched.

At the very least, we think we can all agree to fix fire and safety issues now. Let's fulfill our obligations to provide a safe work and learning environment.

We understand we may be criticized for our points of view and conclusions. However, it's our sincere hope that our community will unite in purpose — to listen to each other and to collectively understand and discuss the distressing problem facing our children and our town's future. With committed efforts and determination, we can reach consensus on an affordable educational opportunity for our community that will be the envy of other communities.

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